Binder



May 31 1'927.

W. J. STEENROD BINDER Filed Aug. 20. 1923 'i @ma Um Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITED sra'rss PATENI FFICE.

WILLIAM STEENROD, OF BENTON HARBOR, vIC'l'vlIGtAN, JlESlGNlt TG Brillilvk "VAWTER COMANY, OF BENTON HARBOR, fl'l'CE-.tivflilih A CGRPORATION OF MICHL GAN.

BINDER.

Application filed August `20, 1923. Serial No. 658,296.

illy invention relates to a lockingl mech` anisih suitable lor use in a torni of loose lent binders in common use commercially and in# clnding a pair oi' covers hinged to clai1 'ipinf, gl bars or plates, one of vthe bars being equipped with binder posts (usually sectional) and the other beingn oriticed to receive the posts and provided with locking n'iechanism adapted to cooperate therewith, so that a body ot inserted leaves may be securel)T held between the bars. The object olf my invention is to provide a novel locking mechanism of eX- trcmely simple construction7 which can be readily and economically maiurtactured, and which shall have but lew parts and be little liable to derai'igement, but shall be strong` and ellicient in serving' the purposes tor which it is designed. With this object in View, .l have designed and invented the loci;- ingI mechanism lor binders hereinafter more :lully described and my invention resides in the formation, arrangement and construction ot the cooperatine` parts and members oit such mech anisni.l the essential elements thereof beingl more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

ln the accompanying drawings forming 'a part ol this specification, Figure l is a lOiglH tudinal section ol*I the clamping bars on a plane passing axially through the posts; lig'. Q is a. perspective broken away at the center, oi the threaded end oit the clamping bar and the claniping screw detached 'from the other parts; and Fie: P) is a vertical section on a plane at right angles to the plane ol lling. l. The same reference characters reiter to Athe same parts in all the tgures ol the drawing.

.lfhe covers oi the binder may be connected to the clamping` bars B by hinges in the usual manner, and one oit the bars, the. lov-.fer one shown in Figs. l and 3, is equipped with a pair ol binder posts l, :s usual. The clamping' bars may both conveniently be constructed of the telescoping` sheet metal members 2 and 3, the hinge leal t beingsecured, by spot welding` or otherwise, to the outer 'tace ot the inner number 3.

llVithin the bar is slidingly arranged the locking` bar 5 which is formed of a longitudinally folded strip ol sheet metal7 U- shaped in cross-section 'from one end .nearly to the other end. The bar is provided with trausrerse orilices arranged to receive the binder posts. the one nearest the open end, marlteil (i, being et such size as to provide a loose titand the other i', preferably being,-

slightly elongated. The sides of the bar are pinched together towards the outer end of the bar` beyond the post orilices 7 and on each side oi semi-cylindrical bends 8, the two bends together forming a seat which is internally screw-threaded i'or the reception of the externally threaded inner end 0l the lockini` screw l). The contacting laces of the pinched-hi portion ot' the bar are .firmly united on opposite sides of the bends S in suitable manner. preterably'by spot weldin0.`

'llhe locking screw, as illustrated, is formed i with a reduced bearing section 9 providing 'K a shoulder ll). and has a squared outer end ll. lhe end ot the casing` is closed by an end block l2, secured in place in the bar by set screws i3, and the block is bored to permit application-ol an operating key to the squared end oit' the locking screw and provides a smooth bearing` Ylor the reduced section 9 thereof. The inner face ol' the block provides an abutment against which the shoulder l() oif the locking` screw may react when the key is operated. to release the lockingmechanism.

.frs will be obvious from the description given7 when the key is operated to draw the locking,` screw and locking bar together, the i end ot the screw will abut against the ad jacent binder post l and draw the outer side ot the orilice (i at the opposite end of the bar against the other post, and thus stress the posts towards each other against the inner 'laces ol' the orilices in the upper and lower members ot the clamping bars. While this mode ot operation is not broadly new, the toldedprer construction of the clamping bar provides a double bearing` of relativelyA thin metal against the post at the open end of the bur which has been found particularly satisilactory and etlicient, and the pinched-in construction and formation of the other end or" the bar -forms an extremely simple, strong` and economicaily-constructed screw seat for the locking' screw. he 'folded hollow sheet metal construction ot the locking` bar enables it to be made very light, and as the sides ot such bar lie adjacent the walls ol' the clamping bar, with only sufficient clear-- prising a longitudinally folded shoot matar iookmf; bur shdlnzqy ttmjg Withm sold 11o1- low clmnpmg bnr, Saul lockmg bar having pnlalol ,sides :u'ljacent the inner Tacos o said chmnpmg bur onfmod 1u allgmllent to receive said posts and arranged to clampngy engage zz post at one end, and the sides of 1 the bar near the other end being formed with opposite semrcylndrcal bds arranged tra togetlxer provide a central screw threaded .Lm-alt cmnxrmnicat11g with the fuljzlrcont ,post

orifice :11u11 being also formed with" conim iigumipune portonsocreil together 011 digmzctrically opposite sides of such :scam und comprising zrso u keymporutod locking arrow in said sont znrnrlgod to f'fmporne with the other locking post in Suid orco.

WILLIAM J. STEENROD. 

